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Last November Okkervil River played a bunch of sold out shows at Bowery Ballroom (find our coverage of one of them here) in celebration of the ten year anniversary of their beloved album Black Sheep Boy. While that was a celebration of the past, the group returned to New York this summer to turn the page on the next chapter of their career.

On July 20 they returned to New York for a sold out performance at National Sawdust in Williamsburg, playing all of their brand new album Away, which was released this summer via ATO Records. They were accompanied by yMusic, along with additional musicians to help bring the album to life (along with a few older favorites).

It’s hard to believe that Okkervil River’sBlack Sheep Boy was released over 10 years ago. I still remember discovering the album at the age of 15 and being oddly charmed by it’s honest approach that wasn’t quite like most things I used to listen to at the time. It definitely was an important album for my future listening habits and it still holds up incredibly well to this day.

Sheff re-released a special edition of Black Sheep Boy to celebrate the tenth anniversary, giving us some new rarities and b-sides from the era. He ended up selling out three nights of Bowery to perform the album, and I caught the second night on November 22.

He kicked off the set with some acoustic pre-Black Sheep Boy songs before diving into the album, with a surprise appearance from former Okkervil River member, Jonathan Meiburg (now frontman of Shearwater), who joined them right before they kicked into “Black,” the song that introduced me to the band. Getting to hear “Black” and the rest of its brethren was a trip down memory lane, a revisit to all those early memories that I formed while this album was a major presence in my life. Getting to hear them played live to an enthusiastic crowd that sang back nearly every word was just the cherry on top.

Okkervil River’s new album The Silver Gymnasium is a concept album that takes listeners through Meridian, New Hampshire, the place where Okkervil Rilver frontman Will Sheff lived as a kid. We already got a taste of the album with first single “It Was My Season.”

The band has also cut loose of the lovely “Down Down The Deep River” with chugs along with ease over a pop-perfect riff that is taken home by a lush synth cord. Really high quality stuff.

Check it out below via NPR:

Below is an instrumental track called “Lido Pier Suicide Car”, also from the album. They shared this a few weeks ago, but it somehow slipped past me.

“It Was My Season” is the first song to be shared from Okkervil River’s new album The Silver Gymnasium. They released a lyric video for the song which features a painting used as a stage set that was used at a play that frontman Will Sheff saw as a kid in his hometown of Meriden New Hampshire. This is important because according to a tweet from the band, the album takes place “in 1986 in a small town in New Hampshire.”

“It Was My Season” is a beautiful track that builds off piano chords and evolves into a world of storytelling that is highlighted by the lyric video. This incredible strength of the song along with the following tweet from the band, have me feeling quite good about this album.

And I know people always say this, but this is my favorite album we’ve done. Writing-wise, performance-wise, experience-wise. No question.

Okkervil River return with new album The Silver Gymnasium on September 3 which will come out with ATO Records, as they have left longtime record label Jagjaguwar. They will stop in to NYC on September 27 when they play Terminal 5.

Okkervil River played new single “Wake and Be Fine” on Jimmy Fallon last January. It’s now available as a free/legal mp3. If you liked what you heard from the live performance, than you’ll love it’s recorded form. It appears on Okkervil River’s upcoming album, I Am Far, which is due May 10th via Jagjaguawar.

“Wake and Be Fine” is a strong song that totally suites the bands style. Each listen improves upon the last, revealing the song in a new light. You will notice pop influenced layers that you didn’t notice at first. Keep it on repeat folks, it does the song well.

Will Sheff has mastered the craft of indie rock. This is my kind of music.

Okkervil River’s new single Mermaid comes out today, and a stream of the song has surfaced online. It’s a lovely ballad that see’s Will Sheff and co. put it all on the line, ultimately delivering a bare bones performance that will leave many fans breathless.

This single precedes the bands new album, I Am Far, which is due later this year. The 7″ is backed with b-side “Walked Out On a Line”. Be sure to pre-order the album at Jagjaguwar.

It’s been three years since the last Okkervil River album. On May 10th that all changes when the band releases I Am Very Far via Jagjaguwar. It features 11 new songs, produced and arranged by frontman Will Sheff in Austin, New York City and Connecticut.

On Monday, the band performed a new song called “Wake and Be Fine” on Jimmy Fallon. They got help from A.C. Newman (New Pornographers) and members of The Roots. Check out that performance, below via The Audio Perv:

Looks like we will get a new Okkervil River album later this year. For now, we are going to have to make due with a new single from the band. On February 8th, the band will release a 12″ single titled “Mermaid” via Jagjaguwar. It will come with the b-side “Walked Out on a Line”. New Okkervil River is always a plus.

If you missed it, check out a video of Will Sheff playing a new song that hopefully will end up on the bands new album.